"Errand of Mercy"
- Thread starter benhur11
- Start date
"Go climb a tree." is what Kirk actually said and Kor smiles in response. I'm not making it up.
"Go climb a tree." But only because you couldn't actually say "go fuck yourself" on '60's era television.
I think "go climb a tree" has much more style, and it doesn't sound like one is losing one's cool. The alternative is vulgar and uncreative.
Maybe BenHur was intending a captions thread?
"Go climb a tree." But only because you couldn't actually say "go fuck yourself" on '60's era television.
I think "go climb a tree" has much more style, and it doesn't sound like one is losing one's cool. The alternative is vulgar and uncreative.
I agree. I've always prefered it when TV shows and movies use alternative phrases to imply a cuss rather than using the real thing. Adds a nice degree of stylization to the dialogue and the characterization as well: Kirk's angry about the situation, but he's maintaining control of himself.
Major issue of mine, this 'need' to stick in obligatory swearing. It reminds me of younger days, when some stupid kid would say of a comedy album of HBO special, "It's funnier, it's got all the swears." as if it were some major plus in and of itself. 
I get it: kids will blast loud music, because mom or dad would say "Turn it down.". Ergo, "Watch your language" becomes a force-field to block one from freedom of expression. I am a strong proponent of content being 'restricted', for a) the very creative reasons Metryq mentions, and b) no rules creates a free-for-all. Swearing, like salt, should be used sparingly.
Kirk's "Let's get the hell out of here" at the end of City on the Edge of Forever, mild-sounding though it be, has impact because he rarely speaks that way. Maturity is knowing when not to say something, not to just say it.
Sorry, I'm getting carried away. I'll stop now...
Kor right there kinda implies the Klingon forehead ridges that would come later?
Hmmm, I knew a TV engineer who'd call that the "tailwind spec," like someone magnifying the pattern on a 'scope and tapping the ripple vanishing in the noise at the far end of the signal and saying, "See? Up to 900 horizontal lines!"
Excellent correlation!!!
I believe you, I was laughing at the second part of your reply.
iirc Kirk was also smiling when he said "Go climb a tree."
"Smile" actually comes up alot in this episode.
KOR: Good. You will be taught how to use it. Where is your smile?
KIRK: My what?
KOR: The stupid, idiotic smile everyone else seems to be wearing.
KOR: I need your obedience. Nothing more. Will I have it?
KIRK: You seem to be in command.
KOR: Yes. I am. I shall need a representative from among you. Liaison between the forces of the occupation and the civil population. Smile and smile. I don't trust men who smile too much. You, Baroner, you're the man.
KIRK: Me? I don't want the job.
KIRK: Is that's all you can do, smile?
AYELBORNE: You are free, Captain.
KIRK: I want to know how I'm free, and why.
KOR: Good. You will be taught how to use it. Where is your smile?
KIRK: My what?
KOR: The stupid, idiotic smile everyone else seems to be wearing.
KOR: I need your obedience. Nothing more. Will I have it?
KIRK: You seem to be in command.
KOR: Yes. I am. I shall need a representative from among you. Liaison between the forces of the occupation and the civil population. Smile and smile. I don't trust men who smile too much. You, Baroner, you're the man.
KIRK: Me? I don't want the job.
KIRK: Is that's all you can do, smile?
AYELBORNE: You are free, Captain.
KIRK: I want to know how I'm free, and why.
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